Submissions open for AICTE Productization Fellowship Program (India)

The scheme supports student groups working on innovative ideas to develop New Product or Services which would address problems in the Society/Introduce new innovative products to the market as per dynamic needs of the market.

The main objective of the scheme is to support Innovative Ideas that drive future economic growth and contribute to the Nations Vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.

Areas of Focus

• Some of the broad areas (but not limited to) identified for the Productization Fellowship are as follows:
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Management
  • Design
  • Hotel Management and Catering Technology
  • Multidisciplinary

Funding Information

• Stage 1: Initial Funding for PoC to Prototype Development: In the form of Fellowship, Rs 37,000/- per month for a maximum period of one year.
• Stage 2: Fellowship will be continued during Stage-II for a maximum period of one year, for Product development, Testing, Market Validation and Commercialization after successful completion of Prototype Development in Stage-1.
• Contigency Grant: Students/teams receive up to ₹50,000 per year (Stage-I & II) for product development. AICTE purchase rules don’t apply, and bills need not be submitted.
• Duration:
  • The duration of the Programme/Project/fellowship will be for a period of one Year and Extendable for one More Year including stage-II of proposal.
  • The innovative Product Development project can be incubated at the nearest incubation center hosted in any of the AICTE Approved Institute and can be continued there even after the project duration is over.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Nomination & Screening: Institutions must identify, screen, and nominate eligible student teams or projects before submitting proposals under the APF Scheme.
• Administrative Coordination: Appoint a Nodal Officer to oversee APF activities and serve as the primary liaison with AICTE.
• Student & Infrastructure Support: Facilitate student innovation by providing access to labs, internet, incubators, and other necessary infrastructure aligned with APF objectives.
• Portal & Progress Management: Ensure timely portal updates, approve progress reports, and manage DBT disbursements. Promptly notify AICTE of any discontinuation or withdrawal.

Eligibility Criteria

• Student teams from AICTE-approved Institutions/University Departments
• Full-time UG/PG/PhD students
• Graduated within last 2 years (UG/PG/PhD): Must be from AICTE-approved institutions
• If the students are from different HEIs, bonafide certificate from respective institutes would be required.
• Preference given to:
  • Hackathon/Grand Challenge participants
  • Winners of innovation events
  • Students participated/won National/International/state level Hackathons, Grand Challenges, and similar innovation events.
• Project Guidelines:
  • 1 project proposal per team
  • Max 3 members (4 in exceptional cases)
  • Associated with Incubation Center at AICTE approved Institute
  • Support for minimum 1 year
  • Proof of Concept” (POC) Level (minimum) and not at Idea Stage.

For more information, visit Ministry of Education Government of India.